Business information management 
Many organizations are becoming increasingly dependent on the proper operation of their information systems for their primary processes. The role of business information management is becoming more important as a result. After all, business information administration translates user requests into functional specifications (requirements) and information management determines the future of the relevant information systems.

Business information management ensures that there is an optimum alignment between information systems and business processes, both now and in the future. This field of operations is one which we can best designate using the term, 'information provisioning'. We refer to the part of an organization that is responsible for this, as the 'business information management function'.

In addition, many organizations are experiencing developments with a view to focussing on their primary products. This is accompanied by the need to outsource the administration of the IT infrastructure and/or the management of applications. An IT provider, who takes on this work for such an organization, will also increasingly outsource specific IT development and IT management work to low-wage countries (off-shore).

In such a situation a client will have to indicate what the demands of his user organization are (demand management) and also ensure the smart procurement (smart buyership) of the relevant external services. This is also the final responsibility of the business information management function.

Public domain process model
In order to provide support to organizations in the improvement of their business information management a public domain process model is available: the Business Information Services Library (BiSL). BiSL describes the primary processes of a business information management function at the strategy, management and operations level.

 The use of a process model as a tool to professionalise a field of operations is not new. The ITIL process model is generally acknowledged as a means of improving IT service management processes, mainly applied in the technical infrastructure field. The Application Services Library (ASL) is increasingly being used to improve application management. And now the Business Information Services Library (BiSL) is available for the professionalisation of business information management.